"To win the battle is to be prepared to die."
- Musashi Miyamoto

Chapter VI: The Hammer Falls

Aries Palace
Pendragon, Grand Duchy of Pennsylvania, Area 1 (North America), Britannian Empire
February 24, 2025

It was almost as if a whirlwind had settled upon Kallen Kouzuki's world since meeting Lelouch at the party. One minute, she was totally focused on her mission and goal toward the resurrection of the leader of the Black Knights, with no distractions or opposition, and then the next minute, right after she managed to reestablish contact, that focus became clouded over with pleasure and enjoyment from being treated like a queen by one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. It was only thanks to her battle hardened discipline that she was able to remember who she was and what she was there to do. And even that was barely enough to hold her being together.

Needless to say, things had really picked up after their dance. The last thing the incognito Black Knight remembered was that after some conversation and their agreeing that they both hated the party, Lelouch led her through the Grand Hall's kitchen area and through a back exit where his limo had been conveniently parked, and from there it was a quick drive to Aries Palace. Then at some point after they entered the safety of the palace, casual conversation was put aside for more physical contact, as the Black Prince had somehow drawn Kallen into what she would later come to realize was her first kiss. It was from there that things got blurry for the Red Dragoness; while one part of Kallen, at first anyway, cried out for her to reject the advance before things got out of hand, something else in her kept her from that action, and so she returned the kiss with all her power. Soon, one kiss became multiple kisses, hands that embraced began to wander across the other's form, and before Kallen's mind could comprehend what was happening, she and her partner were in the master bedroom with her back against the mattress.

In spite of what was happening, Kallen seemingly welcomed the contact, purring contentedly as Lelouch stroked her back and her sides while she drew him closer. Things were even more compounded by how much of a gentleman Lelouch was being, as he was not removing any of her clothing or touching her in her private areas. Instead, he seemed content enough to hold her and treat her with gentleness until she apparently gave him permission one way or another to go further.

Incredible… she managed to think in the midst of the kisses, feeling the heat within continue to grow and her thoughts turned to static. Once more, it took all of her willpower to remember what she was there for to begin with, and when she was able to put together any thought, Kallen wondered about letting things continue forward, if only for a bit longer.

Unfortunately, the moment came to an abrupt end when she heard the sound of a miniature electron battery activating, as well the firm twin barrels of an antique Derringer pushed against her side. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Lelouch's eyes narrowed down at her, with any form of affection now replaced with a cold, serious gaze that made her heart freeze and her mouth hang open in shock. "I don't understand…"

"Let's move past the pretenses, shall we?" Lelouch said, drawing back off the bed with his gun still trained on her. After he was a fair distance from her, he spoke again. "Now, I want to know who you really are and what you want with me."

"I already told you, I'm Lady…" Kallen tried to explain, maintaining her sickly guise despite the change of situation.

"Please," Lelouch stopped her in midsentence. "You may look Britannian and you may act the part, but you are certainly not who you say you are. I know, from the way you danced tonight to the physical tone of your body to the sudden abundance of energy you displayed just now. You're far from the frail noblewoman you pretend to be."

Upon hearing those words, Kallen felt her heart suddenly grow thin and die as she realized the truth: he had somehow come onto her, and all of his actions had been his testing her, making sure she was who he thought she was. Deep down, Kallen felt hurt by that realization, perhaps even more than the fact she had been caught, but at the same time she knew she should have expected it from Lelouch. "You mean… you were leading me on throughout the party…"

"No more than you have been," Lelouch shot back, not at all pleased. "You're much too fit for your cover, and your movements are too precise to be a mere civilian, nobility or otherwise. I can only summarize that you've had military training."

"…That's…" Kallen stuttered while trying to come up with an answer. Her character was starting to slip now that she had been found out.

"You know Britannian tradition and protocol, which means you've at least been educated as one, but something inside tells me you're not a true Britannian, much less a soldier for the Crown," Lelouch continued to press further. "So who are you really? EU perhaps? Abwehr? Please, tell me if I'm guessing right or just save me the trouble and give a straight answer."

"It's not what you think…!" Kallen stammered again, now fully aware and mind racing to come up with a way to disarm him. Unfortunately, he was too far away to get off a direct attack and Kallen's only weapon was out of reach. "I'm not with the EU."

"No? Well that doesn't leave too many other explanations, now does it?" Lelouch chided for a moment. "Very well, then let's skip to my next question: what do you want with me?"

"I…" Kallen tried to think, but was finding it difficult from her position. "I'm not here to kill you."

"I can believe that. You've had a fair amount of opportunity to do so," Lelouch confirmed. "But that still doesn't answer my question. Again, what do you want with me?"

"You wouldn't understand," Kallen exclaimed, starting to rise up a bit from the bed. "You've been imprisoned Lelouch, and you don't even know it. You've been brainwashed by the Emperor into believing you're a loyal Prince of Britannia when in reality you hate this country, to the point you led a revolution against it…"

"A revolution?" Lelouch let out, his firm voice now beginning to quiver. He wanted to believe she was lying, especially with how farfetched her explanation was to the prince's sense of logic, but somewhere inside, he knew she was being truthful somehow. "That's impossible. Why would I want to destroy my own country?"

"Because it isn't your country. Britannia betrayed you and exiled you to a foreign land as a political prisoner," Kallen spoke softly, seeing that the prince was willing to listen. "You don't remember because they don't want you to. Your father and Suzaku Kururugi."

"Suzaku?" Lelouch said out loud, again feeling this was the truth somehow. "…What does he have to do with this?"

"More than you believe," Kallen said, while mentally keeping in check the anger she felt toward that man for what he had done, both to their people and to Lelouch. "He's the reason why you're imprisoned in this façade, as well as continuing to be your prison guard. He is your enemy, Lelouch, even if he doesn't seem like it."

"And you're not?" Lelouch snarled, suddenly starting to lose edge.

"No, I'm not," Kallen said with calming reassurance. "I am your loyal subordinate and follower, and I have come here to free you and return you to your rightful place as our leader… Zero."

The mention of that very name with that very voice was like a beam of light suddenly shining through the darkness. Suddenly, the name seemed to echo through his mind and the images multiplied by the hundreds, as he began to recall more and more things that felt both foreign and familiar to him. Now instead of just her, he saw multiple soldiers in distinctive black uniforms, assorted knightmares that ranged from what looked like customized Glasgows to units similar to what he saw in Libya, a green haired woman dressed in prison clothes with a distinctive mark on her forehead, and what could only be the Lancelot charging at him for the kill. Yet above all of them, he saw her once more, standing beside him, waiting for his orders, with the red knightmare standing in the background.

Out of reflex Lelouch took a step back, and then another, and another, until he was nearly back toward the door. Sweat poured down from his face, his eyes wavering and his arm shaking almost violently. Kallen, for her part, wasn't sure if this was the opportunity she wanted or not, because he could still fire a shot at her. But at the same time, she found herself being more concerned about Lelouch and whatever it was he was feeling than for her own safety.

And that's when everything went black for the prince. Suddenly growing limp, complete with his arm falling to his side and dropping the gun, Lelouch collapsed onto the ground, revealing a new arrival standing behind him. The arrival, clearly a maid, held her hand with all fingers straightened, fashioned toward a karate chop.

"I apologize for my tardiness, Major," 'Sarah Beckett' acknowledged the Black Knight.

It didn't take much for Kallen to connect the dots and realize who she was. "Better late than never I suppose, Sayoko."

The maid nodded, then reached up and removed her biomechanical mask, revealing the Japanese face and hazel colored eyes of Sayoko Shinozaki. Likewise, she also removed her blonde wig to reveal her real hair, colored black. "He should be out for a few hours, more than enough time to move him."

Kallen nodded and got up off the bed, walking up to where Lelouch's body laid. Upon looking at it, Kallen then pulled up her right sleeve to reveal a tiny syringe in an arm holster. I guess I won't be needing this after all.

"The knightmare hangar is on the west wing. I can confirm that the Mordred is present there," Sayoko reported.

"Any guards?" Kallen asked while pulling her sleeve back up and taking off her shoes. It would be easier for her to move around without the high heels.

"Only along the outside perimeter. His Highness graciously gave the rest of the household staff the evening off," Sayoko said.

"Good. That will make things much easier," Kallen said, as she picked Lelouch's body up and slung his left arm over her shoulders. Sayoko aided her by picking up the prince's opposite arm. "Do you have an exit for yourself?"

"I have a VTOL on the roof of the palace, which I will be using to return to the Izumo. Unfortunately, it only has room for a single pilot, so I'm afraid you will have to take him with you in the Mordred," Sayoko confirmed with a nod.

"Will you be alright flying out of here like that? There's going to be more than just fireworks out there in a few minutes..." Kallen wondered.

"I may not be as skilled of a pilot as you Major, but I can fend for myself," Sayoko replied.

Kallen nodded in response, and then hefted the unconscious Lelouch one last time for good luck. "In that case, there's nothing left for us to do but bring our King home."


"Once again, I am truly sorry Sir Suzaku," spoke the guard from behind the Aries Palace gate while trying to hold back his annoyance. "But as I keep informing you, His Highness is not willing to see anyone at this time. You will have better luck catching him tomorrow."

By then it will be too late you fool. Suzaku sneered at the guard with displeasure. He didn't care if the poor man was having a bad night of having to stand guard while the rest of Pendragon partied around him, he needed to get to Lelouch before the worst was to happen. "And as I keep repeating to you, this is a grave matter I must bring up with His Highness, something that cannot simply wait until tomorrow. Timing is of the essence."

"I'm sure it is," the guard replied with an expression that said just the opposite. "But milord has given me direct orders not to be disturbed by anyone short of the Emperor, and I'm afraid that includes Knights of the Round such as yourself."

"Are you sure about that?" Suzaku inquired, pretending to sound disbelieving while holding onto his "angry face" toward the guard, hoping the man would break at some point. He hated to admit it, but it would likely take the Emperor's gaze to move this unnamed sentry. "It doesn't sound like the Prince to keep his friends away like that."

"That's because he was in good company when he returned. Specifically of the redheaded variety," the guard explained, putting much emphasis on the "good" as he spoke out. "And with respect to you, Sir Suzaku, I do not think even you would want to be disturbed when accompanying a beautiful woman into your own domain."

Suzaku's sneer deepened in response. You obviously have not heard of my reputation. "That's beside the point. If you don't hurry and let me in, I believe His Highness will fall into great peril before anything can be done!"

"Right…" the guard tapped the bars as he spoke. "A man such as the Black Prince of Britannia falling victim to a woman who couldn't possibly harm a moth. On the other hand, that does sound like a rather fun evening in itself."

"History has shown over and over that even the strongest can fall to the charms of a beautiful woman," Suzaku pointed out.

"Something I'm sure milord is perfectly aware of, the historian that he is." the guard returned with equal force. "Now once again, Sir Suzaku, I must ask you to leave as His Highness is not willing to see anyone at this time."

After that statement, Suzaku was seriously beginning to lose any restraint that kept him from beating the guard within an inch of his miserable life and forcing his way into the palace to save his friend from the succubus he had unconsciously brought into his midst. However, before he could do or say anything else, a new sound echoed through the air, one that Suzaku and the guard both recognized almost too easily, but until that night had never expected to hear in Pendragon. It was a raid siren, and its pitch was such that no corner of the city was spared from its shrill echo.

No! Suzaku's eyes bulged as he realized what was going to happen.

"What's happening?" the guard looked up in the air, fear and confusion evident on him as blood on a freshly used guillotine blade.

"Isn't it obvious!?" Suzaku replied sharply, annoyance toward the guard now replaced with hurriedness. "They're here to liberate their leader…"

"What? Who are 'they'?" the guard demanded, fear growing.

"…the Black Knights." Suzaku replied with deathly calm, before leaping over the gate with a single great jump, one that would have been impossible for any other human being besides himself. Upon landing on the other side, he immediately twisted and brought his right heel into the guard's head, subduing him before any other exchange could follow. After he saw the guard fall to his side unconscious, Suzaku turned around and ran towards Aries, ready and willing to deal with whatever enemy lurked within the palace.

I hope I'm not too late… Suzaku thought after drawing his Browning L105A1 and quickly activated the battery, which automatically placed a .45ACP round into the firing chamber.


Cornwallis Army Base
Pendragon, Grand Duchy of Pennsylvania, Area 1 (North America), Britannian Empire

"Please listen to me Your Highness! I really do not think it is wise for you to go out into battle at this time…" spoke Gilbert, doing his best to hurry along beside the Princess he served loyally.

Cornelia leered at her knight from the side as she made her way down the hangar corridor, past the other knightmares and their devicers as they prepared for the coming battle. "Gilbert, in all your years of service to me, what makes you think I will simply cower in a shelter while our capital is laid siege by an enemy force?"

"I do not doubt you will to fight milady, but it has been eight years since you've participated in actual battle…" Gilbert stammered.

"And you believe my skills have atrophied since Area 11?" Cornelia inquired rather menacingly.

The knight was quite hesitant in his answer. "…I cannot say, but it's a possibility that you are not on the level you used to be."

"Then what better way to get back into the game than now?" Cornelia replied simply, just as they approached Gilbert's personal Gloucester.

Even so, Gilbert refused to relent. "But Your Highness, we're going into this battle practically blindfolded, as we have yet to even identify the enemy," he exclaimed, still holding his own despite the pressure his princess was putting on him. "You could be placing your life in needless danger."

"I appreciate your concern for my life Gilbert, but it is mine to do with as I will, including risking it in the heat of battle," Cornelia stated, her voice speaking in an almost surreal finality that made her knight stir uncomfortably. She noticed this, but chose to ignore it. "Now get in your Gloucester and be ready. I expect you and the rest of my personal guard to be deployed in the next three minutes."

If there was one unique trait that Cornelia possessed that set her apart from the rest of her kin, it was that she did not need to raise her voice to show her displeasure or that she would not be dissuaded. Or at times, both. Gilbert, being Cornelia's knight, knew this all too well and thus did not stick around to keep up his valiant attempts to keep his liege out of battle. Instead he bolted toward his machine, leaving Cornelia alone to make her trek.

Cornelia stood there for a minute to make sure Gilbert made it to his machine, and then continued further toward her own. In spite of the sounds that meshed together in the hangar from the mechanics performing finishing touches on the different knightmares, she felt as if each of her own footsteps were echoing, much like as if she had been walking down a long, narrow hall. It was the kind of sound one expected from a prisoner on death row marching toward the gallows or a hospital doctor walking toward the emergency room, the kind of sound that one did not specifically "hear", but instead "felt". And despite her iron will, those footsteps cast a dark shadow over Cornelia's mind, and for a brief moment she wondered if she was indeed marching toward her own death.

It had been eight years since Area 11. Eight years since Euphemia had died after mysteriously going into a murderous rage at her own public rally, murdered by the revolutionary known as Zero to end her uncharacteristic and violent behavior. And it was also eight years since she confronted Zero directly to avenge her beloved sister, only to suffer a crushing defeat and to learn perhaps the most horrifying truth that was possible…

Cornelia didn't want to think about that last part, not now. Instead, she focused on the dilemma Gilbert had brought up to her: since that event eight years ago, Cornelia had not once entered battle. After being rescued just before Area 11's destruction, she could not bring it upon herself to lead Britannia's armies against their enemies, even in this new war, and so withdrew herself from the frontlines. This was symbolized by her resigning her Army commission and withdrawing herself to near obscurity. From that time forward, she remained in her self-appointed exile in the capital while a new war between Britannia and its enemies erupted and only participating in mock battles as they came along.

But despite her best efforts, true combat would soon embrace the capital. And the warrior within kept her from ignoring the call to battle.

As she finally reached her machine, she took a moment to scan over the impressive sight of her forces. While only a fraction of the defenders' entire strength, the hangar was filled with waiting maroon colored Gloucesters and pilots willing to go into battle to defend their Emperor and their country, even when many of them had far less combat experience than her. Likewise, though the majority of her subordinates had died during the Devastation of Japan, she still had Gilbert and a few battle worn troops that had been with her since the beginning.

And then she turned back to her own machine, which was an entirely different beast from the arguably antiquated fifth generation knightmares that occupied most of the hangar, finalized by Cornelia's personal colors of deep purple and gold. If there had been one major advantage of being part of her retaining her title, it was that she was permanently at the top of the logistics train, and would always be given the best equipment available upon request. In turn, while Cornelia did not forget that no high level piece of technology could ever replace skill and experience, she was not afraid to admit that she enjoyed being given the best toys to play with in the meantime, including Britannia's very first eighth generation knightmare frame.

With an overall design that was very much like its Lancelot ancestor, but altered accordingly to make it unique enough to stand out on its own, the Exeter was truly a one of a kind knightmare. Never had Cornelia piloted such a machine full of strength and grace, and while not quite as powerful as the seventh generation knightmares that the Knights of the Round all used, she was quite sure that it would be able to dominate any opponent it faced with ease. And the best part was her father the Emperor had personally ordered its mass production, thus ensuring Britannia would remain the dominant military power of the world even into the next generation.

But that was for another time to consider. If the reports had been accurate, the enemy force was comprised of under or over a hundred knightmares, all of which were unidentifiable at this time. While nowhere near enough to fight the bulk of Britannia's military, the enemy's intent was merely to lay siege to Pendragon, and so had enough of a force to challenge its defenses. On the other end of the spectrum, this would be the first true test for many of the city's loyal defenders since the Wings of Talleyrand affair, and without any knowledge of the enemy's identity, Cornelia had no way to ascertain just how her forces would hold out against them. It was truly a battle of epic proportions in the making, coupled by the fact it was happening in the last place anyone would have suspected. And yet, the Britannians would move out to meet them nonetheless.

Thus with great vigor, she entered the Exeter and began the power up sequence. Whatever happened, this would truly be one Crown Day that neither Cornelia nor the Britannian Empire in its entirety would ever forget.


Kyoshiro Tohdoh could not resist the urge to grin as he saw the lights of Pendragon grow closer in his monitors. By now the fireworks had long ceased, and Tohdoh imagined that some form of defense was being prepared to intercept them, but one fact remained: the Britannians were caught totally off guard by the sudden advance on their capital. And for that reason, the normally stoic "Tohdoh of Miracles" allowed himself to smile dominantly, as he lead his legion onto their raid.

I never dreamed we would fight Britannia at its very heart. Tohdoh thought with a certain satisfaction. It felt almost like a dream to him, one that his kind all collectively shared; after eight years in hiding and isolation from the rest of the world, the Japanese had finally come to claim their due against Britannia. While their assembled force wouldn't be enough to siege Pendragon entirely, Tohdoh took solace in the fact that, should the main objective of the raid be completed, he and his people would be able to ravage their enemies further in the future. Aside from that, Tohdoh didn't think he would have been satisfied if he could end things here and now with the destruction of the Imperial Capital. Deep down, the General wanted Britannia to suffer the same despair and anguish that Japan had suffered for seven years under their occupation, right before it was destroyed in that hellish firestorm. Naturally, he was quite intent to see that happen.

But at the same time, Tohdoh would not lower himself or his troops to the level of his enemies, though he knew a number of them wanted all Britannians to pay, including the ones who could not fight against them. As such, he switched to the Black Knights' main frequency. "Shogun One to all units, we are now in final approach of the mission area. Remember this mission is meant to be a controlled strike, not an uneven massacre. Collateral damage is acceptable; genocide is not. Remain focused upon your objectives and the mission parameters; all other priorities are secondary to victory! Shogun One out."

No sooner did he end that message did his sensors pick up incoming knightmare frames deploying throughout the city, in much higher numbers than the Black Knights force. However, as had been assessed before, the enemy knightmares were all fifth generation types, hardly a match for the eighth generation Gekka or Tohdoh's own Zangetsu.

"They're closing fast General Tohdoh," Asahina said from the left.

"I can see that, Seiken Three," Tohdoh replied just as quickly, putting some emphasis on Asahina's callsign to send an underlying message: no using names over the radio. Nonetheless, he allowed some measure of spirit to show in his next message. "Black Knights, the time of our vengeance is now. REMEMBER JAPAN!"

"REMEMBER JAPAN!" the Black Knights cried out as one before their Hayabusa VTOLs dove through the oncoming fire and down to lower altitude, allowing the knightmares that they carried within their "talons" to drop to the streets below and charge headlong into the enemy formations, their chain swords brandished and their bloodlust rising. What followed could only be described by one word: desolation.

Seidotou in hand, much like it had been during the Black Rebellion, Tohdoh had the Zangetsu touch down on the street of what looked to be a shopping district and race into the wake, rocket slashing two Sutherlands as he passed without breaking from his path. A mixture of machine gun fire, rifle launched grenades, cannon shells and even chaos mines were thrown at him, but he dodged all of it with a practiced ease. Following a break in the attacks against him, he twisted his knightmare around and returned fire with both his hand gun, spraying fire across three more Sutherlands in the process. And when his sixth victim came charging from the right to strike him with its stun tonfas, Tohdoh simply performed a forward flip to let the enemy unit pass beneath him, before he slashed the exposed cockpit with his sword.

"Foolish Britannians. Before this night is done, I will make you all remember the power of the Zangetsu!" Tohdoh called out to his foes, pride for his machine beaming while he slew his enemies. Though not too far removed from its Gekka siblings - in fact, it used to be one itself - Tohdoh's personalized knightmare was at the same time a totally different monster to contend with, as its performance was closer to that of seventh generation machines such as the Guren than anything else. After all, Tohdoh had the Zangetsu specially customized for his desire to battle Suzaku Kururugi and the Lancelot, and compared to that pair, the present enemies gathered were little more than mackerel to a hungry bear.

Seeing another group of enemies begin to close in on his position, Tohdoh brought his landspinners to full spin, trying to close the distance before the Britannians bracketed him and turned him into raining scraps of black metal. Three other Gekkas angled in off his flanks and attempted to keep up, though the Zangetsu was faster than any of them. One was snuffed out by an incoming barrage while another lost its left arm and the mounted hand gun, but Tohdoh's knightmare remained untouched by Britannia's fury.

When he reached a certain range, he fired one of his radiant wave rockets straight into the Gloucester that was leading the charge, and watched in satisfaction as the commander unit boiled and exploded. Seeing the fate of their leader, the remaining units broke formation and tried to strafe around Tohdoh and his accompanying force, but they were not fast enough to evade the Gekkas and their katen yaibatous. While they dispatched their hapless victims, Tohdoh concentrated on his own, slashing his seidotou across a Sutherland's midrift. The cockpit block ejected soon enough, allowing the pilot to escape before the chassis turned into a fireball.

The warning Tohdoh's sensors beeped next caused him to automatically choose his next victim. From the rear, a Gloucester came charging at him with one of their grandiose golden lances, intent on driving it straight through the Zangetsu's back. Rather than perform a full maneuver, Tohdoh simply sidestepped his knightmare to the right and let the charging Britannian machine pass over him.

"Baka." Tohdoh exhaled in disappointment. Not wanting to waste any more energy than necessary on a weak-minded foe, he simply leveled his hand gun and riddled the Gloucester across its own back. The burst struck the cockpit block and killed the pilot, causing the unit spiraled away out of control to inevitably crash into the side of a nearby dress shop. Silently hoping that it did not kill any civilians within, Tohdoh returned to the fight, just in time to see another Gloucester flash past in front of him, making a run on a pair of Gekkas belonging to 2nd Squadron. He shot after it like the shinigami himself, the Zangetsu more than capable of catching up before the overconfident Britannian could strike. With another rocket assisted slash, he split the Gloucester right across its cockpit block and upper torso, which also struck the Yggdrasil drive, causing it go critical instantly. Pausing only briefly to listen to the resulting explosion behind him, he then put more speed into his unit.

Again, Tohdoh's sensors went off in distress, and he turned his machine's head to see why. He smiled at what he saw.

Indeed, more enemy knightmares were just now entering the battle, moving through the streets and around the buildings and abandoned cars with great precision. Fortunately, none of them looked to be machines belonging to Knights of the Round, but out of the group, there was one unit that stood out. Upon magnifying the image, Tohdoh saw that it resembled the Lancelot passively, and it was colored in an almost obnoxious combination of regal purple and gold.

Tohdoh's smile grew at the image of that machine. The only things it was missing were a pair of elongated wing-like antennae upon its head and a white cape coming off its back. So the Witch has come out to play…

"They've brought out a Lancelot wannabe, Shogun One," Urabe spoke up just as his own Gekka pulled up next to the Zangetsu. "And is it me or are those colors awfully familiar?"

"I'm inclined to agree Seiken Two," Tohdoh acknowledged. "Take the others and flank that formation. I will deal with Majohime myself."

Putting enough power into the landspinners that it sounded like the Zangetsu actually shrieked in protest at the strain, Tohdoh charged ahead while Urabe broke off to lead the other Four Holy Swords against the incoming knightmares. Upon the Black Knight's approach, the Britannian frames fanned out to give each other space to fire upon him without hitting each other, yet Tohdoh continued to rocket through their formation while evading machine gun rounds and kinetic shells. Any rookie would have broken off from his course and tried shooting back at the attackers, but the General was a man of fierce discipline when it came to his prey; he never broke off pursuit of the target unless it was necessary for him to do so.

His advance did not go unnoticed. The purple machine, which if Tohdoh remembered right the Britannians had dubbed the Exeter, leveled its firearm at him and released a series of emerald colored shots to hinder him. Tohdoh gritted his teeth as he evaded, immediately recognizing the weapon; the Exeter had apparently inherited its own type of VARIS rifle from the Lancelot. Regardless however, he was quick enough to evade the incoming shots, and then respond in kind with his hand gun.

With random firepower dancing between them, both Japanese and Britannian knightmares danced amidst an open boulevard with a certain technique that was quite lacking in their compatriots. The Exeter charged in close to launch a burst shot from its VARIS, which Tohdoh evaded and countered by firing his guns at near point blank range. The Black Knight General was in luck there, as the Exeter was apparently not being equipped with "Blaze Luminous", thus forcing it to roll and evade the burst while launching off its hip mounted slash harkens in the process, which the Zangetsu deflected with the seidotou. Still remaining close, Tohdoh let loose another barrage, but his opponent leaped up and over, and the bullets past right under the enemy machine's leg only to hit an unfortunate Sutherland further back.

As the Sutherland toppled and exploded, briefly eclipsing the surrounding in a flash of light, the two frames circled each other like gladiators, each devicer weighing the other. It was at that point that Tohdoh decided to finally break the ice and open broad communications. "We have faced each other in battle many times before, but this is the first time we've fought directly, isn't it Cornelia-hime?"

"Kyoshiro Tohdoh," Cornelia replied with a mixture of venom and curiosity, as she placed her VARIS on the Exeter's rear storage racket. "I should have known better than to believe you Elevens would stay dead."

"Japanese," Tohdoh corrected with a fair amount of his own animosity. "And unfortunately for you, we were never dead. And we have not forgotten, nor forgiven, your crimes against us and the Earth."

Cornelia laughed bitterly. "If you are expecting an apology, I'm afraid you will be disappointed…"

With that, twin MVS folded out from underneath the Exeter's arms, with the Britannian knightmare drawing both, their blades flashing red as their Maser Vibration properties engaged. Twirling either blade in a grand grand display, Cornelia angled oneat the Zangetsu.

"You have only doomed yourselves by coming here, Tohdoh!" Cornelia stated with her legendary bellow. "In a matter of minutes, Pendragon will be filled with reinforcements from all directions, and you will have no escape from Britannia's wrath!"

"Is that supposed to frighten me?" Tohdoh replied back as he brought the seidotou up once more.

Cornelia continued in spite of her opponent's insolence. "As Princess of Britannia, I hereby give you two options: surrender now and avoid destruction, or pray to whatever God you worship for a miracle," she stated with full confidence. "What say you, Eleven?"

Tohdoh's response took the form of a cool, angled grin that was akin to a shark's smile. "…You seem to forget, 'Your Highness': I perform my own miracles."

"Very well then," Cornelia let out, as she had known that would be the reply. She then charged forward with the full force of her knightmare's power. "Then let that be your epitaph, fool!"

Tohdoh also charged with a battle howl, and their respective blades soon met with a resounding metallic ring.


Gritting his teeth to the point of pain, Gilbert drove his lance through one of the enemy knightmares' cockpits, its golden tip emerging from the opposite end covered in blood. As with every other one of his victims, he felt no enjoyment or satisfaction at his kill, only the sense that he was doing his job correctly. Without a second thought, he withdrew the lance and let the enemy knightmare explode.

One by one, bolts high-velocity lead and rockets came streaking towards him, but with a practiced hand he evaded these attacks easily. Although close to becoming outdated, his personalized Gloucester was still as fast as ever, and it responded to Gilbert's commands with the utmost efficiency. And no matter who or what he was fighting, Gilbert knew his skill would more than make up for the technology gap.

Switching over to his assault rifle with his unit's left hand while his right retained the lance, he sprayed two incoming enemy knightmares with his own bullets. One managed to get out of the line of fire, but the other one was ripped apart in the volley and eventually exploded. Then putting all the force he could muster into his landspinners, Gilbert spun around and used the weight of his lance to knock the chain sword away from the enemy unit that was trying to sneak behind him, before finishing it off with the Gloucester's slash harkens.

These can only be the Black Knights. Gilbert summarized in his mind solemnly. Indeed, everything from their tactics, their preference for melee combat, and even the design of their knightmares all but shouted out that this force was the very same that Gilbert and his comrades had fought against in Area 11, the same force that had caused the Black Rebellion. That realization made Gilbert actually feel sympathetic; while he did not know how they managed to survive the destruction of their homeland, he could understand their drive for revenge against Britannia, and he could not hold any grudge against them for it.

However, that did not take away from Gilbert's own desire to fight. No matter what had happened in the past, he was still a knight loyal to Britannia, and he would make his homeland's enemies pay for their belligerence against the Empire. With that determination he charged forward in his Gloucester in search of new prey, and soon came across more of those Gekka-like dark colored knightmares attacking some Sutherlands. As his enemy was preoccupied, Gilbert took the opportunity for a surprise attack, charging in and driving his lance through two knightmares at once, then swinging the lance overhead to shake them away much like a berserker.

His sharper than average peripheral vision catching something, Gilbert saw one of the more heavily damaged enemy knightmares charging head long at him, even though it was weaponless. Realizing quickly that the enemy was attempting a kamikaze run, Gilbert put his machine into evasive action, managing to leap back before the enemy knightmare self-detonated. "REMEMBER JAPAN!" the pilot called out over the open channel before he was reduced to vapor.

While Gilbert was fast enough to avoid the main attack, he hadn't moved far enough back to avoid the raining shards, which were embedded deeply into the Gloucester's frame. There seemed to not be an area that had not gotten punctured, but as Gilbert saw from the diagnostic, the damage wasn't enough to keep him out of the fight.

And it was a good thing to, as Gilbert looked over, he saw his liege's Exeter fighting in a vicious melee against another knightmare. One that Gilbert recognized from the red hair-like appendages that came off the back of the head and the type of sword it was using.

That's Tohdoh! Gilbert's mind cried out in realization. While Cornelia seemed to be holding her own, Gilbert still could not risk his Princess dying from any kind of rustiness she had accumulated over the last eight years. Thus he altered his vector and charged once more, lance poised to strike. "Princess, I'm moving to support you!"

And then out of nowhere, a new voice intervened. "You should worry about your own hide, Gilbert!"

"What!?" Gilbert exclaimed in surprise, just as his sensors gave off a new warning. Eleven new knightmares were charging toward his position from behind, all at a far greater velocity than the ones he had faced so far.

Turning the Gloucester around, he quickly moved into a zig-zagging maneuvering pattern as the eleven knightmares danced around him. Immediately Gilbert recognized them as Gurens, right down to their crimson colors; however, they appeared fairly different from the one he knew from Area 11. In a synchronized effort they encircled him and let loose a hail of beams and projectiles while others charged with their knives, all with the ferocity of a beast pack. Gilbert struggled to evade all of the radiant wave fire and grenade shots, especially with the amount of damage his machine had taken before.

And then one of the enemy units shot out of formation and smashed its own surger claw against Gilbert's lance, grasping it.

"I will deal with this one myself," that voice spoke once again, this time to its subordinates. "The rest of you aid 3rd Squadron in bringing down Cornelia's lapdogs."

"That voice…" Gilbert muttered out loud as the other knightmares broke off, leaving just the one. It was an older and deeper voice, but it was still one he recognized. "…Alfred?"

The enemy knightmare responded by engaging its surger and boiling the lance from end to end, forcing Gilbert to fly back and abandon it before it exploded. Taking advantage, the Guren-type leaped overhead with its fork knife drawn, causing Gilbert to quickly drawing his left MVS and parry the slash attack.

It was then that a video image appeared in Gilbert's monitor, displaying an older Alfred Gaius Darlton from the man Gilbert remembered, clad in a red Black Knights pilot suit and wearing the battle visor of the Glaston Knights. "Surprising, you actually remember me," Alfred observed. "And here I thought all of Britannia had forgotten my brothers and I…"

He made a follow up attack of two overhead cuts, which Gilbert was again only barely able to deflect. "…even though we sacrificed everything in its name!"

"Why have you aligned yourself with the Black Knights, Alfred!?" Gilbert demanded in the middle of their battle.

"Isn't it obvious, Gilbert!?" Alfred replied sharply, as he kept Gilbert on the defensive. "You and the rest of the Empire abandoned us to die with Area 11, no, Japan! What did you expect would happen if we survived!?"

"I don't know, but I never thought you of all people would betray your nation by joining the ranks of the enemy!" Gilbert spoke out, at the same time pushing more toward mounting his own offensive, though Alfred's constant attacks were keeping him from doing that. "Andreas Darlton would be ashamed if he saw you now!"

"Do not drag his name into this!" Alfred roared, refusing to give Gilbert any leeway. "I don't know what my father wanted of me, but he would never have supported what you bastards did that day!"

The enemy knightmare then tackled the Gloucester and knocked it back, creating an opening for Alfred to finish it off. However, Gilbert was too quick for that, shedding his cape and drawing the second MVS, allowing him to hold back what would have been the finishing blow. "Britannia has done a lot of terrible things in the past Gilbert, but none of that can compare to destroying an entire race! That alongside the Britannians who were also stranded, the same people we both swore oaths to protect!"

"That's…" Gilbert said, trying to find something to respond with, even when in his heart he knew that Alfred was correct.

"Do you think you will be forgiven, Gilbert!?" Alfred stated, slashing at the Gloucester's waist. "Do you think God will show mercy toward this country, in spite of all that has been done!?"

"I don't know!" Gilbert shouted, before he slapped Alfred's knife away and retreated back a few meters in an attempt to put some space between him and his opponent. However, Alfred pursued him relentlessly, thus turning their duel into a running swordfight through the streets. Along with age, the former Glaston Knight had also gained improved skills, totally different from the soldier that Gilbert fought alongside with in Area 11.

"I will not try to deny or defend it," Gilbert continued on in the midst of their battle. "What we did in Area 11 was beyond forgiveness, whether by the world's judgment or by God's. But regardless, the oaths we swore also kept us bound by loyalty to our country and our Emperor, no matter what."

"That oath became worthless to my comrades and I when our country and our Emperor abandoned us to die," Alfred stated, still retaining some hostility.

Gilbert acknowledged that with a nod, knowing inside that if the order had not come for his evacuation as well, he would have likely been there beside Alfred. "But as I am still the Spearhead of the Empire and the knight of Princess Cornelia, I still hold my oath with value. Therefore, I cannot and will not go back upon it so long as I live!"

Alfred laughed at that declaration, and increased the ferocity of his attacks even further. "In that case, let's see where this ends, Gilbert!"

Gilbert could not reply with words, but only by bringing up his sword to strike back.


Aries Palace
Pendragon, Grand Duchy of Pennsylvania, Area 1 (North America), Britannian Empire

As fast as they could move with their captive, Kallen and Sayoko tore through the halls of the palace, dead set on the hangar bay at the western end of the estate. While it was difficult to move quickly while holding onto an unconscious member of the Imperial Family between them, the two members of the Black Knights were making some impressive time regardless.

Another reason to hate Britannians: their oversized housing for their equally oversized egos. Kallen thought with distaste, getting truly annoyed with the many rooms and hallways that she had to go through just to get from one end of the palace to the other. At the very least she knew she was past the main hall and several of the guest bedrooms, so she knew that they had traveled some distance. However, Kallen wasn't worried about the effort needed to escape at this point: rather, it was the time limit she had that was her main concern now.

Already both the Black Knight ace and maid-kunoichi could hear the sound of explosions and gunfire from the outside, meaning that the Black Knights had already begun the diversion. While Kallen was confident in her piloting skills that she could wade through the chaos and get back to the Izumo, even though she would be piloting a knightmare that she was not familiar with, the Red Dragoness also knew that her comrades would not be able to continue the battle for long. Though they were equipped with the latest eighth generation knightmares and many of the Izumo's pilots were veterans from the Black Rebellion, the Britannians still held the advantage in numbers; they could easily overwhelm the Japanese with just a fraction of their homeland's garrisoned forces.

Thus, Kallen was growing more and more concerned with how long it would take her and Sayoko to make their exit while their friends were fighting against impossible odds, especially with the fact that Lelouch was slowing them down greatly. It was definitely do or die now, but then had it ever not been for the Black Knights?

"Kallen Kouzuki!" a voice rang out from behind as the two were just about to round a corner.

Both of the women instantly recognized the voice, as well as the sound of two gunshots followed by bullets flying overhead. Their energy suddenly doubled by their quickened adrenaline and heartbeats, the two scrambled to round the corner with their cargo before they were shot down. After they verified that there was the edge of a wall between them and the enemy, they stopped for a moment to catch their breaths; this was also done because both knew they had no chance of outrunning their apparent pursuer or any help he had gathered, encumbered as they were.

"I know what you're doing here and I will not allow you to take Lelouch!" Suzaku said, while slowly drawing closer, his pistol trained toward the corner. "If you and your partner choose to surrender, I promise on my honor as the Knight of Seven that no harm will come to either of you!"

Kallen would have made a crack at how much value she put into the word of a traitor, especially one who served genocidal masters, but she knew it would have made little difference. At least she knew it was only him and not a squad of Britannian soldiers from the singular footsteps and the fact Suzaku was hesitant to draw closer. He also likely assumed Kallen had a firearm of her own; she didn't for obvious reasons, but now she wished she did. I'm going to get C.C. for making me go without my gun…

"Whatever happens, we cannot allow the Britannians to retake him," Sayoko warned, her voice calm in spite of the circumstances, though if one looked deep enough traces of hesitation could be heard. At the same time, she raised her arm and drew a kunai seemingly out of midair. "Either we bring him back alive, or…"

"Can you move him by yourself?" Kallen whispered, purposely interrupting before she could finish.

Sayoko nodded slowly. "Yes, but…"

"I'll hold off that bastard then," Kallen interrupted once more, voice as hard as the alloy that made her knightmare. "You get Lelouch into the Mordred and then make your escape. I'll follow you shortly."

Sayoko wasn't sure what to make of this development. "…I think things would be better if I were the one to hold him, Major."

"No, it's going to be me. This is something I should have done eight years ago at Kamine Island," Kallen stated, as she remember that very standoff with clear regret. As she did, her left eye suddenly turned a seemingly unnatural shade of red. "I ran then. I won't a second time."

For the maid, it was the shift in eye color that drove the point for Kallen's determination more than her words; her comrade was going to fight no matter what. As such she withdrew her kunai, took Lelouch over her shoulders in a fireman's carry, which was a peculiar sight to behold had anyone been around to see it, and ran down the corridor at high speed.

Kallen could only stare dumbfounded as the maid disappeared with the prince. "Damn it Sayoko, next time tell me you can carry him by yourself…"

Meanwhile, Suzaku was still a fair distance away from where his enemies lay, but drawing closer with each step. Though he was the one with the gun, and it was likely that neither Kallen nor her partner, who looked suspiciously like Lelouch and Nunnally's maid from Japan, had any kind of projectile weapon at all, he still preferred caution when dealing with a warrior like the Red Dragoness. Suzaku could still remember their encounter at Kamine Island, and how much of a fight she almost put up in spite of certain handicaps. He was not about to give her any openings to exploit with that very same energy.

That's when the very last thing Suzaku considered happened: without warning Kallen came charging at him from the corner, holding up dress skirt to keep it from hindering her. Acting instinctively, Suzaku aimed the pistol to shoot her in the leg before she could get close, and then fired off a shot. However, just as he pulled the trigger, Kallen banked to the right and the bullet hit nothing but air. The same thing happened when he fired again, only she moved to the opposite side. And again when he fired a third time.

And then before he could wonder just how Kallen was able to dodge bullets so fluidly, she was upon him, kicking the gun out of his hand and sending it out of reach. Once she was satisfied that Suzaku was weaponless, her fist lashed forward, only to be deflected by Suzaku's block.

"Been a while Suzaku," she snarled before launching a devastating high kick that made Suzaku stumble backwards a few meters.

"Surrender, Kallen…" Suzaku started, then assuming a fighting posture while moving in a circular motion, as if he were a fighter in a ring. "I don't know how you plan on restoring Lelouch's memories, but you won't succeed on my watch."

Kallen laughed once as she also circled, while still making sure that Suzaku remained on his side of the imaginary ring. "It's already too late for you to do anything, traitor. By now, my comrade has taken Lelouch to the hangar and is flying him back to our mothership. And even if that's not the case, you still have to get through me to reach her."

The Knight of Seven let out a 'keh' sound behind clenched teeth at that. Indeed, even if he did manage to get by Kallen somehow, he doubted he could reach the other Black Knight before she escaped through one of the knightmares in the hangar with Lelouch in hand. And even then he would have had to fight and defeat her, which he knew he wouldn't be able to do after exhausting himself from dealing with Kallen. No matter how he thought about it, Suzaku couldn't avoid the single conclusion: he had come too late.

"Then, if I can't retrieve Lelouch…" Suzaku said, his even toned voice masking his rising anger. "…I will settle for taking you in!"

"Let's see if you can bastard!" Kallen shot back, fists raised high as Suzaku charged at her.

Upon reaching her, Suzaku leapt into the air and performed his trademark roundhouse kick, which the Black Knight blocked against, as well as the follow up punch combo he delivered to her head, though one or two managed to make it through. Upon the next punch however, Kallen grabbed his arm and then brought her own palm to his head, managing to incapacitate him long enough to send two more punches into his gut, forcing Suzaku to hunch over for breath. However, he recovered quickly and made an uppercut that Kallen could have sworn made her go airborne for a brief second.

Despite that, she recovered fast enough to see Suzaku throw another punch her way, which she avoided, grabbed and performed a jujitsu style flip that was meant to throw her opponent onto his back. Suzaku, however, had other plans, as he altered his fall so that he would land on his feet, though this left him open for a kick that Kallen threw into his back, which made him lurch. To counter he threw his left elbow around to try and strike her on the side of her face, but she managed to jump back before the blow could land.

Sensing an opportunity too good not to exploit, Suzaku launched a triple kick into Kallen's head and torso that dazed her, then followed up with another one of his spin kicks that was meant to knock her on her side. However, whether he put too little strength into the kick or Kallen was just plain tougher than he expected, she managed to retain her footing and her sense of direction, and she fired back with a flurry of punches and palm thrusts. Her speed was so great that Suzaku was barely able to tell one punch apart from the other, and though he managed to deflect the first few, he was soon overwhelmed and sent back into a wall.

Quite literally putting her opponent against the wall, Kallen continued her assault with several more punches and palm thrusts, as well as a kick or two for good measure. Once more Suzaku managed to deflect or evade a few of them, but he could not mount an offensive of his own under the Red Dragoness' pure ferocity. So with little choice, he threw a solid kick into Kallen's torso that made her stumble back and allowed him enough time to get away from the wall.

Another explosion shook the mansion as the two fighters regained their balance and faced each other, both already feeling as though they had been hit by a truck. However, in spite of the pain she felt, Kallen actually smiled venomously back at her opponent. "It's funny. I had been looking forward to fighting you again, and avenging all the Japanese that you killed or helped kill, as well as the loss of our homeland. But after tonight…"

Kallen's smile turned into a sneer as she drew closer to Suzaku. "…the thing I want to make you pay for the most is forcing Lelouch into this façade!"

Suzaku snarled back with contempt, before spitting up some blood. "How can you still be willing to follow him, after everything he's done to our people…? It was because of Zero that the Japanese were wiped out!"

That was enough for Kallen to throw another fist at Suzaku, which he managed to block, but not the headbutt that followed. As he stumbled back with stars flashing in his eyes, Kallen responded. "Don't kid yourself Suzaku. It was because of Britannia that Japan was destroyed. All Zero ever did was give us a fighting chance…!"

Another hook, this one actually landing against Suzaku's cheek. "…which is more than I can say for you!" Kallen finished and began her assault anew.

She charged with another kick that Suzaku barely dodged, and then a follow up punch that would have caused serious bone and tissue damage had the Knight of Seven been any other man. Not wanting to be stuck on the defensive, Suzaku retaliated with some punches of his own, with one causing Kallen to heave for air and end her blitz momentarily. Before Suzaku could continue with a kick at her side though, Kallen spun around and connected a roundhouse kick of her own, her dress fluttering as she did, which might have even loosened some of Suzaku's teeth.

"Why are you still serving the Britannians anyway!?" Kallen called out in the midst of the fight. "I thought your goal was to free Japan in your own way!"

"That was only part of it…" Suzaku replied, breathing heavily. "My goal is to make a world of peace and harmony, just as Euphie had envisioned."

Kallen suddenly felt her rage begin to grow inside. "By helping Britannia bring its power down on everyone else!? That kind of peace is only based on subjugation, just like with our homeland!"

"…But in the end, peace nonetheless," Suzaku explained with an unnerving calm.

And as if Suzaku had pushed the button on a detonator, the contained fury with Kallen Kouzuki exploded in a great nova, bleeding through to her face. She now saw that this was not the Suzaku Kururugi of eight years ago, the one that had joined Britannia so that he could free the Japanese without violating the system. Whether it was through Princess Euphemia's death or some other line of events, the man before her had transformed into an enemy of humanity and everything that she, Lelouch, and the Black Knights as a whole stood against Britannia for. No matter who won, there would be no redemption for Suzaku now.

Holding nothing back, Kallen lunged forward and threw a straight punch for Suzaku's nose that was quickly parried with a forearm block. With her arm still pressed up against Suzaku's, she then spun on her left foot clockwise until she was beside Suzaku, from which she completed the arc with an elbow to his backbone. Suzaku stumbled for just a moment, but that was enough for Kallen, as she landed three more punches to his head just as he twisted around to face her. He tried to throw a punch of his own, but Kallen grabbed it and dragged him forward so that he was facing away from her again, before she unleashed twin kicks into his backside and head.

Almost fainting from the shock, Suzaku cocked his left leg and spun to unload a kick into Kallen's ribs. Kallen could only briefly wonder if the impact had broken a few, as Suzaku regained his balance and sent another collection of punches into her stomach. Kallen, who had to resist the urge vomit from the attacks, managed to dodge the last few and then grab hold of her opponent's arm, to which she used to once again fling Suzaku against the wall, hard.

Becoming more aggressive now to keep Kallen from dominating him again, Suzaku punched straight for the Guren pilot's throat, only for the opposite ace to bank her head to the right to avoid it. However, that was only for Kallen to open up so that Suzaku could deliver his knee into her gut once more, followed by a kick that sent her off of him and allowing the White Knight to move away from the wall. In turn, Kallen delivered a palm strike to Suzaku's face that made his vision light up with fireworks once more.

Her opponent now faltering from shock and pain, Kallen then made a right hook that only increased Suzaku's frustrations, which was followed by another palm strike that was meant to break Suzaku's nose. Fortunately for the White Knight, he recovered just in time to block the strike and the following attacks, but Kallen remained vicious and did not halt her offensive. The fight soon devolved into Suzaku barely managing to hold Kallen at bay, but with each block and dodge he pulled to evade her blitzkrieg, the more energy he spent in the process.

I can't hold out like this forever. Eventually, she'll get through my defense, and then she'll… that thought made Suzaku's eyes widen as he felt a great force overcome him.

As Kallen was about to deliver another punch, Suzaku's hand suddenly shot up and grabbed her fist before impact. The Black Knight then tried to withdraw her hand, but she could not break Suzaku's iron hold on her, which seemed to have far more force behind it than she would have expected, even for him.

"…I guess this is my limit…" Suzaku murmured under his breath.

"What?" Kallen let out, having no clue at the sudden change over Suzaku.

"I'm sorry Kallen, but I'm afraid this must end now," Suzaku continued, his voice getting more eerie with each word. "So that I may live."

When Kallen's eyes met Suzaku's once more, she immediately noticed the red metaphysical rings that surrounded his irises.


Upon clashing blades against dual blades, Tohdoh engaged the seidotou's rocket thrusters, forcing his opponent's melee weapon away as well as temporarily blinding her. This forced Cornelia to back away from her opponent to keep her vision from being overwhelmed, and Tohdoh naturally took advantage of this by slashing at the Exeter's torso. The result was a fairly deep gash that could have hit the enemy machine's Yggdrasil drive, but Cornelia's superior reflexes allowed her to make her knightmare retreat back just before the edge cut into the powerplant. She then brought up her swords again and made further slashes at the Zangetsu, putting Tohdoh back on the defensive.

Suddenly, the Exeter raised its arm to reveal a box shaped device upon its elbow, before charging straight at the Zangetsu. Reacting by instinct, Tohdoh brought up his sword to deflect the oncoming attack with the flat of his blade, which worked in preventing Cornelia from reaching the Zangetsu itself. However, just after the Exeter's elbow slammed against the seidotou, the device generated a pulse of energy that nearly shattered the sword and made the Zangetsu recoil backward from the shock, disorienting Tohdoh.

That's a new one. Tohdoh thought as he fired his second radiant wave rocket to keep the Exeter back long enough for him to recover. Spinning around to reorient his knightmare, he just managed to catch sight of the Exeter launching its slash harkens at him, to which he weaved around in and out before readying his seidotou once more for the attack. While pretending to be readying for a slash attack, he reversed the blade at the last second and launched the hilt mounted slash harken straight into the Exeter's head. Though the attack failed to knock the head off of the frame, it managed to crack the stylized faceplate.

"…It seems you are not as good as you used to be Majohime. Has eight years away from the battlefield atrophied your skills so much?" Tohdoh taunted over the radio.

"I could say the same for you," Cornelia lashed back with her swords. "You might have a better knightmare, but you're far from the man who led the charge in the Black Rebellion. Maybe I should let one of my novices deal with you…"

"Go ahead. The fool would put up a greater challenge," Tohdoh shot back viciously as he performed a three slash combo that Cornelia just barely deflected against.

Cornelia counter-slashed at the Zangetsu in turn and then followed it up with a stab, managing to sever a piece of the black knightmare's shoulder fin in the process but not hitting anything else. Dismayed that the Witch of Britannia took a chunk out of his machine, Tohdoh followed up by actually tackling the Exeter in the chestplate, and then attempted to behead it, but by that point Cornelia managed to bring one of the swords up to deflect the attack. She then counterattacked with the opposite blade, forcing Tohdoh to abandon his melee momentarily.

As he moved back, the sensors beeped once again at new arrivals on the Zangetsu's sensors. At first Tohdoh surmised that they were reinforcements from the outlying bases, but when his eye caught the readout, the Black Knight General almost felt the pigmentation drain from his skin and the aforementioned eye begin to twitch in panic. While the numbers were not as much as he expected, rounding to only four new machines entering the battlefield, it was what his computer ID'd them as that caused alarm. Bedivere, Elyan, Hector and Maleagant.

"The Knights of One, Three, Six and Ten…!" Tohdoh gasped. He had already known that the possibility of Knights of the Round joining the battle was quite high, but at the same time he had been hoping that they would have chosen to seek shelter and let Cornelia's forces handle the battle rather than risk wading through the carnage to get to their individual knightmare hangars and join in. Unfortunately, it looked as though four of them managed to disappoint Tohdoh's hopes and expectations.

"Well, looks like you're time's about to run out," Cornelia stated as she took the opening to attack, also noticing the arrival of the four Rounds members. "Willing to surrender yet, Eleven?"

Tohdoh's initial response was to throw back her attack, and then proceed with his own. And for the first time in years, he remembered the Battle of Itsukushima and how, even though he and his forces had been up against ever growing numbers, were still able to pull through thanks to Tohdoh's once famous miracle. Now fifteen years later, he was up against similar odds in the same hopeless situation, but Tohdoh knew that just like then, the Japanese had to pull through or risk losing the war that had just begun.

Kouzuki will liberate Zero… Tohdoh thought as he continued his exchange in attacks and defenses. We need to buy her more time!

And with that determination, Tohdoh finally gave his reply to Cornelia. "I am General Kyoshiro Tohdoh of the Black Knights! I and my forces do not, have not, and will never surrender to your kind!"

He then renewed his charge. "We may have lost much, but we, the Japanese live on nonetheless, and until you properly kill us all, we will make Britannia pay for the crime of being born!"